Grace and the Illusion of Control
By Ryan Couch
06/22/26
17mins

Grace and the Illusion of Control

The life we are trying to manage, improve, and secure is not something to be mastered. It is something to be surrendered. And this is where everything changes. Because in Christ, the approval we are seeking has already been spoken.
The Turk at the Door: Luther, Islam, and the Fate of Christendom in the 16th Century
Adam Francisco
Adam Francisco
06/19/26

The Turk at the Door: Luther, Islam, and the Fate of Christendom in the 16th Century

It is within this charged atmosphere that Luther’s writings take on their full significance. His responses to the Turkish threat were not merely reactions to military events; they were rooted in a deep theological reflection on the nature of God’s rule over the world, the responsibilities of Christian rulers, and the role of the Church in times of crisis.
AI Can't Save You
Erick Sorensen
Erick Sorensen
06/17/26

AI Can't Save You

Your God is not artificially intelligent, but the source of all intelligence (including yours).

All Articles

Steve Kruschel
Steve Kruschel
03/10/25

Through the Tombs of the Kings: Jehoshaphat - Buried with His Fathers

This is the second installment in our Lenten series, Through the Tombs of the Kings, where Steve Kruschel explores God’s faithfulness to Judah’s kings—and to us—through life, death, and the burial of his Son.
Joey Goodall
Joey Goodall
02/28/25

You Can't Sever the Saint from the Sinner

You cannot sever the saint from the sinner. Christians remain both simultaneously.
Steven Paulson
Steven Paulson
02/27/25

Psalm 7: The Divine Contradiction – Only Faith Overcomes Revenge

God is a judge, but unlike you, God is just!
Edward Killian
Edward Killian
02/18/25

We Are Beggars: Martin Luther’s Final Words and the Heart of the Gospel

Luther’s final thoughts were not meant to bum you out or lead you to despair.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
02/07/25

Captives in the Hollow of Grace

The addict’s condition speaks a hard truth: that we are all beggars before God, every one of us bent toward the grave.
John Bombaro
John Bombaro
02/06/25

Gospel Action

The liturgy ensures that the gospel is never something inward, merely a thought or sentiment of the believer.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
01/30/25

The Gospel for All

There is no one — not now, not ever — who cannot be included in the family of God through the efficacy of Christ’s saving power.
Bradley Gray
Bradley Gray
01/14/25

This Is Your Story

The gospel is best understood in terms of those two most important words: for you.
Ryan Couch
Ryan Couch
01/03/25

New Year, Same You

It's a new year, and you are still the same you: a sinner who is simultaneously perfect in every way because Christ declares it to be so.
Caleb Keith
Caleb Keith
12/12/24

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever: A Response to Young Men's Turn to Orthodoxy

Longstanding tradition must be bolstered by something outside of ourselves that also lies outside of the traditions of men.
Donavon Riley
Donavon Riley
11/18/24

Why You’ll Never Master The Bible’s “Rules”

Instead of a “how-to” manual, the Bible is a “what-you-didn’t-do” story.
Wade Johnston
Wade Johnston
11/15/24

The Widow's Lesson

What do we learn from the widow? We learn how to be dependent upon God.
1517 is a Christian non-profit (501(c)3) multi-media organization. Our mission is to declare and defend the Good News that we are forgiven and free on account of the death and resurrection of Jesus alone.
1517.org
Search
Academy
Donate

1517 grants permission for our free online resources to be printed, photocopied, and otherwise used freely for private and church use. We require that authorship and source (1517.org) are referenced and maintained. These resources may not be sold or included in any publications for sale.